


My Angel of Music

by ReyloRobyn2011



Category: Star Wars Episode VII: The Force Awakens (2015), Star Wars Episode VIII: The Last Jedi (2017), Star Wars Sequel Trilogy
Genre: Angst, Beauty and the Beast Elements, But not Kylo or Rey, But only a little, Devoted Reylo, F/M, Happy Ending, Kylo is Erik, Mild Smut, No Raoul, Obsessive Kylo, Phantom of the Opera AU, Pining, Possessive Kylo, Regency Era, Rey is Christine, Sad, Sad Back Stories, That’s not how you court, Virgin!Kylo, dubcon, major character deaths, romantic smut, virgin!rey
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-01-27
Updated: 2018-03-01
Packaged: 2019-03-09 22:59:23
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 6
Words: 11,956
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13491594
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ReyloRobyn2011/pseuds/ReyloRobyn2011
Summary: He was always in the shadows. Hiding behind the curtains as he watched her dance. And she was beautiful, so very beautiful. Kylo wanted to hear her voice, longed to hear it. For he knew it was as lovely as her dancing.





	1. Chapter 1

  

 

* * *

 

Paris 1861

 

He was always in the shadows. Hiding behind the curtains as he watched her dance. And she was beautiful, so very beautiful. Kylo wanted to hear her voice, longed to hear it. For he knew it was as lovely as her dancing.

 

He crept closer, making sure to stay out of sight. She was stretching by the stage, getting ready for the performance of Hannibal, where she danced in the company.

 

She sang softly, just under her breath. She sounded like an angel. She was truly special. His fists gripped the curtain as he listened to her soft voice.

 

She deserved more than just the part of a dancer. Her voice— she should be _heard._

 

“Rey,” one of the other dancers called for her.

 

He had never known her name, for as long as he had watched her. From when she was a child to the young woman before him, he’d never known what her name was.

 

_Rey._

 

Kylo turned back to the shadows, disappearing before he could be seen.

 

***

 

Kylo sat in the darkness of the basement just beneath the Opera house stage. He could hear the loud screeching coming from that awful woman’s mouth, Bazine Netal. The lead Soprano. The candelabras in his lair started to blow out, one by one, as his temper started to rise. Clenching his fist, he calmed himself. The candelabras started to light again, flickering against the stone walls surrounding him.

 

He walked over to the his mahogany desk and pulled out his calligraphy set. With a fresh page of parchment, he used his quil to write a letter to new managers of the Opera House.

 

The previous manager was aware of their partnership. Kylo was known as the _ghost_ or the _phantom_ of the Opera house. It had all started out as tricks to startle the performers. It was incredibly lonely being exiled into the basement. So he made demands-- his share of the payment, and for box 5 to remain open for _him._

 

The new managers, what were their names? Finnegan and Dameron. They needed to be informed of his demands and what was to be expected.

 

Kylo thought back to the girl in the wings of the stage. Rey-- her chestnut locks framed her sun kissed face. Gently, he touched the scar on his cheek, the scar that was etched into his alabaster skin. He was always in the dark-- never to see the sun. He marveled at the beautiful golden sheen of Rey’s skin. Something that he longed to touch. He wanted to kiss along the soft slope of her neck, gather her wavy tresses into his hand and feel the softness of the strands on his bare fingers.

 

He dipped his quil into the ink and started to write his demands. The letter would be sent to management in the morning.

 

***

 

Rey was in her dressing room, brushing her hair as she pulled it back into a bun. She looked into the mirror, wondering if she would ever amount to anything. Rey was a dancer, but her passion was always in the opera.

 

She opened her mouth and sang a soft melody in the quiet of her dressing room.

 

A shiver ran down her spine as the candle sitting on her vanity blew out. She felt a presence in the room. She stood abruptly, her chair clattering to the ground. She looked around the room but there was nobody in sight. Her heart was racing as she scanned the room with her eyes.

 

Rey let out a small yelp when someone knocked on the door, startling her.

 

“Come in.” she called out.

 

Amilyn Holdo walked in and grabbed Rey’s hands in her own.

 

“You danced beautifully tonight, my dear.”

 

“Thank you, Madame Holdo.” Rey replied.

 

The woman was somewhat of a mother figure for Rey. When Rey was only around five years old, she was left on the steps of the Opera house. Her parents abandoned her-- with an insincere promise to come back for her. Yet, they never did. Madame Holdo took her in, offering her a room in the attic of the theater.

 

Madame Holdo’s step daughter, Jessika Pava, had become Rey’s best friend. They danced together in the company.

 

Her fingers were cold against Rey’s wrists. She guided Rey towards the hallway outside of the dressing rooms.

 

“It’s time for you to get some rest, my darling girl.” Amilyn said.

 

Rey squeezed the woman’s hands and thanked her for her kindness. She walked down the hallway towards back staircase that led up to the attic. Once she closed the door to her room, she walked across to the small window that offered her a view of the gardens behind the theater.

 

She crawled into her small bed and glanced at the night sky as her eyes started to feel heavy and she drifted softly to sleep.

 

She dreamt of brown eyes, dark tousled hair, and an obsidian mask with a chrome visor covering half of the man’s face.

 

***

 

Kylo visited her at night, as he has been every night since Madame Holdo took her in. Looking into her mind, he saw an island. She was peaceful in her sleep, and he would sing to her. He could feel the loneliness that plagued her. The same familiar feeling that tormented him, night and night again.

 

Her parents left her, threw her away like garbage. Rage coursed through his veins at the very thought of anybody throwing away something so precious. She should be cherished, he would cherish her. She was abandoned, just as he was.

 

He hopes that she will be his belonging. His purpose. Perhaps, she will see past the monster that he is.

 

***

 

Rehearsal for Hannibal was the next morning, Rey and Jessika were speaking softly in the wings as they stretched before the rehearsal was to start. The new managers were coming today. Their names were Finnegan and Dameron. Rey wondered how they would be and hoped they would be as welcoming as the old manager had been, Mr. Tekka.

 

Bazine Netal stormed past and knocked Rey over to the ground. Rey glared up at the woman as Bazine sneered back at her.

 

“Get out of my way, little scavenger rat.” Bazine spit out.

 

Rey clenched her fists to stop herself from smacking her. Bazine thought highly of herself, thinking everybody else was beneath her. She always called Rey an orphan and mocked Rey for her family abandoning her. Rey was a strong girl, but even this would crawl under her skin and make her insecurities take flight. How could she-- the girl with no family and no home, ever be more than just a dancer in the company.

 

The managers walked in with broad smiles on their faces. Finnegan was a dark skinned young man with short cropped hair, while Dameron had olive skin and wavy dark hair.

 

“Hello, hello!” Dameron called out. “Here’s our star, our prima donna, Ms. Bazine Netal!”

 

He clutched Bazine’s hand and pressed a kiss to her knuckles. Rey didn’t miss the smirk on Bazine’s face as she watched the man grovel before her. Finnegan was next to confront Bazine.

 

The two men asked to be referred to as Finn and Poe. They seemed nice enough, Rey thought.

 

“Let’s take it from the top of the Aria!” Poe called out.

 

Rey joined Jessika with the other dancers to practice their routine while Bazine gave her performance.

 

***

 

In the rafters, just above the stage, Kylo looked over at the new management. The two men were fawning over Bazine Netal. Kylo rolled his eyes scoffed in disgust at their pathetic attempts to woo her.

 

Kylo heard the man he asked to be called Poe, suggest that Bazine sing the Aria. Kylo climbed higher into the rafters to watch from above. She started her song, and the wretched sound was making his head pound.

 

He noticed the dancers, twirling behind the awful woman. Rey was amongst them, dancing with the grace of a swan. His eyes could not leave her behind, she was so incredibly gorgeous. And her voice, he loved to listen to her sing. At night, he would sing to her, and in her sleep-- she would sing along with him. He was her teacher, even if she didn’t realize. He was melding her into the perfect pupil-- an angel of music. His angel.

 

The high pitched squalor coming out of _that_ woman’s mouth was tremendously distracting, especially when he wanted to watch his angel. Well, he couldn’t let this continue.

 

Kylo reached out with his gloved hand, he felt the tendrils of his magic in his fingertips, a force, an energy. He felt it wrap around the wooden planks that held the backdrop up. He grasped it with his power and jerked--

 

Bazine screamed as she leapt out of the way of the falling wooden planks. Kylo thought it was a damn shame that it hadn’t landed on her.

 

Slowly, he made his way back out of the rafters and towards the stage doors until he was out of sight.

 

***

 

It was absolute chaos on the stage. Bazine was screaming obscenities at everybody around her, particularly Finn and Poe as they tried to calm her down.

 

“Too many _accidents_.” She sniped. “This theater is haunted. I will not perform in these conditions.”

 

She stomped her way over towards the doors, only stopping to look back at her partner, Armitage Hux. His sallow complexion on accentuated his pinched expression. Rey thought he looked like somebody that had sucked on something sour.

 

Hux’s eyes snapped to Bazine and he cleared his throat.

 

“Right, we will not perform as long as the _phantom_ is haunting the theater. Once this nonsense is figured out, well— you’ll know where to find us.”

 

The two practically ran out of the theater with matching scowls on their faces.

 

“Uh, so who might be the understudy.” Finn asked.

 

“There is no understudy. There is only Bazine.” a male dancer called out.

 

“Right, no understudy.” Finn said, looking panicked.

 

He and Poe started conversing quietly when Madame Holdo came forward holding an envelope with a wax crest.

 

“Sorry to interrupt you gentlemen, but this letter is from the owner of the Opera house.”

 

She handed them the letter, which they both stare at as Poe opened it and took out the parchment.

 

“20,000 francs and the sole use for box five. Who is this _mystery_ owner that we’ve only just heard off?” Scoffed Poe.

 

“The previous manager, Lord Tekka, had no reservations against these demands.” Madame Holdo said sweetly. “If I were you, I would heed his demands.”

 

“We can’t even worry about this right now.” Finn interrupted. “We don’t even have a Soprano.”

 

Rey felt hands on her back as she was pushed forward by Jessika.

 

“Rey can do it, she has a beautiful singing voice.”

 

“I— I…” She stammered.

 

“Ah yes, our Rey has a wonderful teacher.” Madame Holdo said with insistence.

 

Rey thought back to figment in her dreams. The angel of music that would come to her at night. That’s how she learned.

 

“She’s just a dancer?” Poe questioned.

 

“Let her sing.” Madame Holdo said with bite.

 

“Alright, alright. From the Aria.” Finn said.

 

Rey’s hands were started to sweat as she took in a deep breath. She heard the music of the piano and counted in her head until her cue.

 

She sang softly at first, and then as her confidence grew, she sang louder. All eyes were on her, and she had never felt so distinguished. She smiled brightly as she continued to sing.

 

***

 

She was remarkable, Kylo thought, as he watched her light up the stage with just the sound of her voice.

 

He put a hand over his heart, as he watched her. Her smile was intoxicating.

 

Once she had finished the song, she looked around as if searching for someone. Kylo’s heart skipped a beat as he wondered— and hoped, that she was looking for _him._

 

Did she remember his teachings? When he met Rey in her dreams. He longed to hold her in his arms, to feel her slight body pressed to his.

 

“My angel of music…” he whispered. “Sing for me.”

 


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm blown away from all the nice comments on the first chapter. I really hope you like this one just as much! Thank you so much for the support.

* * *

 

_ Her dreams were filled with the same figure. His face was still masked from her sight, but his piercing brown eyes and full lips were visible. His voice filled the space around them and she felt his gloved hand gently stroking her face. His hair was dark and fell softly around his face.  _

 

_ He was beautiful.  _

 

Rey startled awake, feeling the ghost of  _ his  _ presence. He was everywhere and nowhere. Just a voice in her mind. Her angel of music. For as long as she could remember, her life at the Opera house revolved around the voice that called to her in the night—  in her dreams. 

 

She looked out the window at the still darkened sky. The stars twinkled above and Rey pressed her fingertips to the glass, feeling the chill of the night seeping into her skin. 

 

She loved living here, it gave her purpose—  yet there was still something missing. In her dreams she felt whole. When she awoke, she felt the crushing loneliness that would never dissipate. 

 

Rey felt a tear roll down her cheek and she wiped it away as she stood. She crawled back under the covers of her small bed and willed herself to fall back to sleep. Perhaps then-- she would see her angel of music once again. 

 

***

 

The following evening was Rey’s debut as the Soprano in Hannibal. The performance went on without a hitch. No strange occurrences or foul play happened, or as the stagehands often referred to it as—  the  _ Opera Ghost. _

 

The theater was full of patrons, all dressed in beautiful gowns and dashing top hats and tailcoats. They stood on their feet and applauded Rey for her performance. Her heart was beating in her chest and she felt like she was going to lose consciousness at the overwhelming euphoria of it all. 

 

Once the curtains closed after her final bow, the managers of the theater ran up to her congratulating her on a job well done. 

 

She kindly pushed past them, needing a moment to catch her breath. Madame Holdo was by her side, pushing through the crowd of dancers and stagehands so that they could make a quick retreat. 

 

In the quiet of her dressing room, she was able to finally breathe. A smile crept across her face. All of that applause—  they were for  _ her. _

 

“You sang beautifully,” Amilyn told her. 

 

She brushed a thumb along Rey’s cheek in a motherly gesture, then she rose to her full height and nodded at Rey before she left her alone in the dressing room. 

 

Rey changed into a simple white dress with a delicate lace cover draped over her shoulders. There was a soft knock on her door and she walked over to crack the heavy wooden door to peer at who was behind it. 

 

Rey smiled brightly at the sight of her friend. She opened the door to allow Jessika in, and Rey returned to her vanity, brushing her long hair while she looked at herself in the mirror. 

 

“Rey, you must tell me. Who is your teacher?” Jessika mused. 

 

She gazed at her reflection in the mirror and say her cheeks turn pink with a blush. How was she supposed to explain her teacher to Jessika? The voice in her dreams. 

 

“The angel of music calls to me,” Rey started. “I know it sounds ludicrous. But it’s true. He’s always been with me—  ever since I was a child. His voice is in my head, he lives in my dreams.”

 

Jessika gave Rey a shy smile. The two sat in relative silence as Rey continued to brush her hair. 

 

“After the performance, the cast was talking about the Opera Ghost. You’ve heard all the stories, do you think it’s true—  that the theater is haunted?” Jessika asked. 

 

“I’m not sure what to think,” Rey admitted. “I think it is just somebody playing tricks. Or a coincidence. Bazine was hardly liked by anyone in the cast. She was incredibly cruel to everybody. I wouldn’t put it past one of the prop handlers to do this to scare her off. Besides, there hasn’t been any  _ incidents _ since she left.” 

 

“That is true,” Jessika replied. 

 

The girls spoke softly until Jessika mentioned how late it had gotten. She crossed the room and bid Rey goodnight as she closed the door behind her. 

 

Once again, Rey found herself alone in her dressing room. She wrapped her lace cover tightly around her shoulders as she gathered her belongings. 

 

She noticed a single rose with a black ribbon tied against the stem laying on her vanity. She hadn’t remembered it being there before. She brought the flower to her nose and inhaled deeply, relishing the fresh, floral scent. 

 

“Who left this for me?” She asked the empty room. 

 

_ I am your angel, come to me angel of music.  _

 

Her hairbrush clattered on the floor as she dropped it in shock—  that voice. It was speaking to her again. She looked up at the mirror and walked over to it curiously. There was a foggy mist covering the surface of the mirror. Rey reached out—   _ show me.  _ Her fingertips touched the cool glass of the mirror—  _ show me the Angel of Music. _

 

The mist over the mirror started to fade and in place of her reflection was the image of the masked man from her dreams. 

 

She took a few steps back in shock, wondering if she was hallucinating. But the mirror opened up revealing a hidden door and the man reached his hand out for her— calling to her. 

 

She placed her hand in his gloved one. He was solid and real. Rey followed him through the mists of the stone tunnels that led her to the depths of the opera house.

 

***

 

The lingering loneliness that left him broken was almost too much for Kylo to handle. So he had acted impulsively, and he opened the secret door and reached out for his Rey. 

 

She surprised him by taking his hand instead of turning away in fear. He held her hand delicately as he led her down the stone staircase towards the cellar beneath the theater. 

 

He held a torch in his hand to light their way, and Rey looked at him with such awe. Nobody had ever looked at Kylo like that before. 

 

He felt around for the cellar door and opened it to reveal his place of solitude. The place he had been exiled to live out the rest of his days. 

 

Rey looked around with wonder; there were candelabras hanging on the walls and sitting on the furniture, making the darkness of the basement feel more lively. 

 

She walked around to take in every inch of his lair. He had sheets of music that he had written shuffled around the top of his piano, rose petals scattered on the keys. 

 

Rey sat on the bench and ran her fingertips over the keys of the piano, catching a petal between her fingers and clutching it to her chest. She looked like a goddess— so beautiful in her white dress. Kylo walked up behind her and placed his hands on her arms as he leaned down and sang softly into her ear. 

 

Rey’s head fell back onto his shoulder as if she was in a trance. And perhaps she was. Her eyes fluttered closed as he continued to sing, letting his arms wrap around her waist. He ran his hand along the bodice of her dress, feeling the delicate beading beneath his gloved fingers. 

 

Suddenly, it wasn’t enough. He needed to feel her skin against his for the first time. 

 

He brought his hand up to his mouth and used his teeth to pull the glove off. She was looking up at him, gazing at him as she leaned back against his shoulder. Her hands rested over the keys of the piano. Kylo took his bare hand and placed it on top of hers. 

 

Her skin was warm against his palm. And when they touched— he saw a future of the two of them together. It was all he ever wanted. Was it possible that this magic that lived within him was trying to show him something? To show him what he could have with Rey. 

 

“Is this a dream?” Rey asked. 

 

Kylo lifted his hand off of hers and touched her cheek. Her skin was soft like silk. 

 

“Does it feel like a dream?” he asked her in a deep and smooth voice. 

 

“No— it feels real. Is this lucid dreaming?” 

 

“No Rey, this is real.” 

 

His nose bumped hers and she breathed in, staring at the visible side of his face. Kylo closed the distance and pressed a kiss on her petal soft lips. 

 

“You… you taught me to sing. It was you.” 

 

“Yes my angel, I taught you.” 

 

“What’s your name?” 

 

“They call me the phantom, but my name is Kylo Ren.” 

 

Kylo lifted Rey to her feet and grabbed her hand, guiding her around the room as he showed her all of the music he had written in his hours of solitude. 

 

“You composed these?” she asked, and her eyes were bright like the stars. He nodded his head as she walked around the whimsical cellar. “Why do you live here, beneath the Opera House. Why do you wear that mask?” 

 

He jumped away from her and grabbed at his mask, ensuring she wasn’t going to try to take it off of him. She held her hands up like somebody that was trying to tame a rabid dog, and it made him seethe with anger at the monster he would always be. 

 

“It’s okay, I’m not going to take it off of you Kylo. I just want to know. To understand.” 

 

“Your parents abandoned you,” Kylo stated. “I was abandoned too. I was betrayed by those that were supposed to love me unconditionally. They failed me, Rey. Nobody in the world understood me, until I saw you.” 

 

Kylo reached out and cupped Rey’s face, brushing his thumb along the apple of her cheek. 

 

“You are so beautiful, my angel.” 

 

“Kylo,” she whispered, and the sound of her voice saying his name made his heart beat faster. “Your work should be seen, your voice  _ heard. _ You can’t hide here forever.” 

 

“I’m not meant for the light. I’m not worthy— it’s too late for me, Rey. But if you join me, together we can be happy. We can have the belonging we have both always wanted. As long as you stay with me and be mine.” 

 

Kylo pressed his mouth to Rey’s, kissing her beneath the flickering lights of the candelabras. When he pulled away, she was looking at him with kiss swollen lips. He touched his own with his bare fingertips. Kissing her was something he never thought he would have the luxury of doing. He had always thought he would be watching her from afar, never to have in his arms. 

 

“Be mine,” he said again, pressing kisses along her neck. 

 

“I, I don’t— I’m not sure,” she gasped out. 

 

Kylo held his hand beside her face and sang softly to her. 

 

“ _ In this darkness that you know you cannot fight.  _

_ The darkness of the music of the night.”  _

 

Rey’s eyes drifted shut and he scooped her up into his arms like a bride. She felt so small in his embrace. Kylo carried her across the cellar towards the large four poster bed. He laid her gently on the plush mattress and pulled the duvet over her lithe body. 

 

He crawled in beside her and watched her as she slept. She was so peaceful in her sleep. Kylo pulled Rey into his arms and sang to her once more. 

 

_ “Let the dream begin. Let the darker side give in.  _

_ To the power of the music that I write.  _

_ The power of the music of the night.” _

 

Kylo brushed his lips against her temple. 

 

“ _ You alone can make my song take flight.  _

_ Help me make the music of the night.”  _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you to my betas Shawlee and Nori


	3. Chapter 3

* * *

 

Rey awoke to dimly flickering candles and the warmth of a body wrapped around her. She shifted in the large bed and pushed the covers off of her. As she turned around, still trapped beneath the iron grasp of solid arms, she saw the face of the man that visited her in her dreams. 

 

_ The phantom of the opera.  _

 

_ Her angel of music. _

 

He looked innocent in his sleep, though he still wore the dark mask over the side of his face. Rey thought it could hardly be comfortable to wear while sleeping. And forgive her, but she was  _ curious. _

 

Kylo’s lips were full and pursed. Rey thought it was hardly fair for a man to have such perfectly pink lips. His eyelashes were long and fanned across his cheekbones, and his hair was soft and thick. 

 

When he had gazed at her the night prior— looking into her soul, she had felt dizzy with want. His heated gaze made her feel wanted. And that was something she had always longed for. Ever since her parents abandoned her. 

 

Kylo’s arms were still wrapped around her waist, his fingers intertwined as he held her lower back. Rey held her breath as she let her fingers rest upon the hard plane of the obsidian mask. Perhaps if she just took a little peek… surely he wouldn’t know. 

 

She lifted the mask off his face and both of his brown eyes shot open in a panic. He jumped off the bed and cowered on the floor, holding a hand over his face to shield her from view. 

 

But Rey didn’t understand; because what she saw beneath the mask was nothing to be ashamed of. The slight scar that bisected his face didn’t take anything away from his handsomeness. 

 

Rey crawled out of the bed and crouched down beside him. His eyes were averted and he was closing himself off to her. She gently touched his cheek, the side that he was not covering with his hand. He met her eyes, nervously, but Rey stroked his cheek and gave him a kind smile. 

 

“How can you bear to look upon the face of such a monster?” he asked softly, and it occurred to Rey that he really saw himself as so. 

 

“You aren’t a monster,” she replied. 

 

“Don’t you see? Yes I am. My soul is dark and I am not worthy of such light.” Kylo’s hand covered her own upon his face and he traced patterns over the delicate bones of her wrist. “But that doesn’t stop me from  _ yearning. _ Yearning for your beauty and your love.” 

 

“What happened to you Kylo?” she placed her other hand on top of the one covering his scar and tentatively pulled it down. Kylo let her, but kept his eyes on the stone floor of the basement. 

 

He was quiet where he sat. Rey felt emboldened and leaned forward to press a kiss to his scarred cheek. His hands found their way into Rey’s hair and he pulled her forward towards his lips. And when their lips met— it felt right, like it was written in the stars. 

 

Kylo moaned into her mouth, brushing his tongue along the seam of her lips. Rey opened up and felt him lick into her mouth, sliding his tongue along her own. Reluctantly, he pulled away to catch his breath. Rey looked at him curiously. 

 

“Come now, we must return you to the opera house. Those two fools that run my theater will surely be missing you.” 

 

Rey stood up and walked over to the bed to pick up his mask. She handed it to him and he placed it over his face before leading her back through the tunnels towards the opera house. 

 

***

 

Finn and Poe were in their office, reading over the note they had gotten from the  _ phantom _ a few nights ago. 

 

“It has to be a joke, surely,” Finn suggested. 

 

“Madame Holdo seems to believe the man isn’t a myth and that he’s real,” Poe added. 

 

Just as they were about to leave the office, Bazine Netal burst in holding a piece of parchment in her hand. 

 

“I returned to you both because you promised me that the  _ ghost _ wasn’t real and that no  _ accidents _ to report during my absence. But what do you expect me to think of this?” 

 

She slammed the letter down on the desk. 

 

Finn grabbed it and unfolded it as he read out loud,  _ “Your days at the Opera are numbered.”  _

 

“Well that is ominous,” Poe scoffed. 

 

A loud knock rapped against the door to the office and the three of them snapped their heads to look as Madame Holdo walked in holding a letter in her hand. 

 

“A letter from the phantom,” Holdo stated, handing the parchment over to Poe. 

 

“Another letter,” Poe spat. He opened the letter and started to read it,  _ “Miss Rey shall replace Bazine Netal in the new opera, Il Muto, and Miss Netal will take the non speaking role of the pageboy. If my demands are not met, there will be consequences beyond imagination.” _

 

Poe crumpled the letter in his hand. “You are excused, Madame Holdo.”  

 

The woman stared him down before turning and leaving the office. Poe looked at Finn and then Bazine. 

 

“We do not answer to  _ ghosts. _ Bazine, you will take the lead. Rey will play the role of the pageboy.”

 

***

 

Box five was not left open for Kylo and was currently being used by some pretentious couple. It hardly mattered when the two men that managed his opera house inexplicably ignored his demands.

 

Watching from the rafters, Kylo seethed at the sight of Bazine on the stage and his gorgeous Rey devalued to a non speaking role. The awful screeching of Bazine’s voice and her haggard appearance of overly caked on makeup only infuriated him more. Rey looked like a breath of fresh air, with her bright face and cherry red lips. Her hair was pulled back into a low ponytail. His heart coveted for her beautiful shining light. 

 

Kylo figured he would leave them well enough alone— just to make them believe that they were safe. Then, once their guard was down, he would strike. He had promised consequences for such actions, after all. 

 

Once the first act was about to come to a close, Kylo positioned himself in the rafters were he knew the acoustics would project his voice loud enough for the entire theater to hear him. 

 

“It’s a shame that box five was not left open for me,” Kylo stated, as the cast of the opera froze in their spots. He looked over at the couple that was taking up  _ his _ seats and they clutched each other in fear. 

 

His beautiful Rey started looking up into the rafters, surely looking for  _ him. _ Kylo knew she recognized his voice. 

 

“The phantom of the opera is here,” Rey practically whispered. He wanted to swoop down and pick her up in his arms. 

 

“Shut up little rat,” Bazine spat. “You role is a silent one.” 

 

Kylo reached out with his hand and gripped Bazine’s neck with an invisible grip. She started choking and falling to her knees on the stage. Kylo hadn’t planned to  _ kill _ her, but he could hardly let the obnoxious woman live when she treated  _ his  _ Rey in this way. 

 

He squeezed harder, holding onto her neck until Bazine slumped forward and stopped shaking. He released her and she fell to the stage, face down and not breathing. 

 

Kylo brushed his hands along his pants and smirked as he left the rafters. 

 

***

 

“Close the curtains,” Poe screamed at the stage hands. The curtains fell down upon the stage and Poe and Finn looked out at the audience nervously. 

 

“Remain calm, everything is fine,” Finn stated. 

“The second act will continue after a short intermission, and Miss Rey will be replace Miss Netal in the main role,” Poe added. “Miss Netal will be just fine, we are having the medical staff look her over as we speak.” 

 

The men rushed off the stage and met everyone behind the curtain. 

 

Armitage Hux was holding onto Bazine’s wrist and leaning his head against her chest. 

 

“She’s dead!” Hux yelled. “That monster  _ murdered _ her.” 

 

“We have to cancel the show,” Rey whispered, with tears in her eyes.” 

 

“We are not cancelling the show,” Poe yelled. “Rey, get dressed, you will be singing in  Miss Netal’s place.” 

 

“Poe, we can’t,” she said. 

 

“Rey— do not argue with me. Get dressed.” 

 

She turned from him in fury as she rushed off to her dressing room. 

 

***

 

After the final bows, Rey pushed her way through the dancers and found the stage door that lead to the courtyard beyond. 

 

It was snowing outside and she sat on the bench as she tried to catch her breath. She felt like she was going to be sick. He had— he had  _ killed  _ her.

 

She cried silently, as she shivered from the cold. Flakes of the snow landing on her arms and she pulled her shawl around her, trying to warm herself from the bitter wind. 

 

That’s when she felt his presence, he was behind her. Rey snapped around to see the tall, looming figure of the phantom. He was holding his hand out for her and wearing that ridiculous mask. 

 

Rey stood up and rushed forward, slapping her hands on his chest in anger. 

 

“Murderer, you killed her, you’re a… you’re a… a…” she was at a loss for words. 

 

“A monster,” Kylo answered for her. 

 

His hands closed over her wrists and held them tightly to his chest. 

 

“She was a horrible woman Rey, and she insulted you.” 

 

“Kylo,” she cried. “You can’t kill every person that says something mean to me.” 

 

“Don’t you see Rey, yes I can. Nobody will ever hurt you again.” 

 

“You are hurting me,” she admitted. 

 

Kylo released her wrists and pulled back as if he had been slapped. 

 

***

 

He had  _ hurt _ her. Those were the words that left her mouth. He truly was a monster, he would never be worthy of her or her light. Rey looked beautiful in her anger, and yet, he hated to see her like this— and he had been the reason for her tears. 

 

Angry with himself, he backed away from his beautiful girl and retreated into the opera house. Once he was in the privacy of his basement lair, he let the agony release. His powers were simmering in his body, making every bottle of ink shake and his sheets of music scattered all around him. 

 

Kylo fell to his knees, throwing his mask off of his face as he touched the scar on his cheek. 

 

He was nothing but a monster, a crude creature in an obsidian mask. A scarred, damaged man that was not worthy of her light. His soul belonged in the darkness. 

 

Kylo slammed his first against the stone floor. Again and again, until he felt the skin on his knuckles crack and bleed and the bones break. 

 

He pulled off his glove to see the red stain of blood. 

 

How could Kylo have ever expected Rey to love him? How could anyone ever learn to love a monster?


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Mentions of emotional/mental/physical abuse. Kylo's backstory.

* * *

 

It had been an entire week that Rey had not seen any sight of Kylo. Not at the opera house or in her dreams. It was as if he was figment of her imagination, a fleeting glimpse of something that  _ could _ have been. If only he hadn’t been his own ruin. If only he didn’t have blood on his hands. 

 

Finn and Poe were holding a masquerade in the opera house. The curtains of the stage were open for the guests to peruse the stage and the delicate velvet seats of the theater. The women wore elegant ball gowns, all adorned with sequin masks that covered their eyes. The men also wore masquerade masks and tailcoats. 

 

Rey wore a black gown and a matching black sequin mask. She stood on the stage, amongst the other performers and the guests that Finn and Poe had invited, and she felt as if she didn’t belong. She felt like there was something missing. 

 

She saw out of the corner of her eye, a swish of fabric as a woman hurriedly walked off the stage into the wings. Letting her curiosity get the better of her, Rey chased after the woman. 

 

As Rey rounded the corner, she lost sight of the woman, but she kept walking down the elegant hallways of the opera house. Rey thought perhaps she would find the woman; she couldn’t have gotten very far. 

 

The hallway was dark, so Rey grabbed the candelabra that was hanging on the wall just beside of her. She held it in her hand as she walked down the hall. 

 

She opened the oak wood door at the end of the hall. On the other side of the door was a flight of stone steps, leading down towards the basements. She had been down these steps before, when Kylo led her to his lair. 

 

Rey took a deep breath and walked down the steps, the only sound was her heels on the stone and the only light was that of her candelabra she held in her hand. 

 

Anxiety swelled in her stomach, or perhaps it was excitement. She wasn’t quite sure. As she continued to descend the staircase, she saw a dim light near the bottom of the steps and she hurried along. 

 

Rey gasped in surprise when she saw Madame Holdo standing in the archway leading towards Kylo’s chambers. She was looking at Rey with a knowing smile. Rey blushed and quickly excused herself, turning to run up the stairs and back to the ball. 

 

Madame Holdo grabbed Rey’s wrist and held it tightly in her grip. 

 

“Rey, I do believe there is something you should know. Something about Kylo. I can see that you are curious. There is more to his story than meets the eye.” 

 

Rey swallowed as she met the woman’s eyes. Rey longed to know what happened to Kylo. How he ended up beneath the opera house, how he got the scar on his face, and why he felt he was a monster. 

 

Rey nodded her head and followed Amilyn Holdo into the room. 

 

***

 

Rey was sitting on a chaise across from where Amilyn sat on a chair. They were somewhere in the depths of the opera house, yet this was not the corner that Kylo had claimed for his own. 

 

“I was good friends with Kylo’s mother. Her name was Leia. Back then, Kylo went by another name— his birth name, Ben Solo. When he was just a child, he had this magic within him— something he couldn’t quite understand and couldn’t control. The power scared his father— and his mother, Leia, sent him to live with his uncle Luke in the hopes that he could help the young boy.”

 

“Ben learned more about his power under the tutelage of his uncle. Yet, Luke feared Ben. Luke had never seen magic like the powers that Ben had. It wasn’t just games and trickery. There was something more, something that couldn’t be explained.” 

 

“One night, when Ben was sleeping in his uncle’s home, Luke took it upon himself to eliminate the source of the power. That source being Ben. He held a dagger in his hand and lifted it above his head…”

 

“Luke claims that in the very last moment, he realized he couldn’t kill his own nephew. But it was too late, Ben woke up to the sight of his uncle with a dagger raised above Ben’s hand. Ben panicked and pushed his uncle against the wall, knocking the breath out of him. And then he fled the home.” 

 

“Ben walked the streets for quite some time. But as it turns out, his family were not the only ones that knew of Ben’s magic. An older man named Walter Snoke took an interest in Ben and offered him room and board.”

 

“The man twisted that poor child’s soul. Made Ben believe that his family didn’t love him, that he wasn’t worthy of love from anybody. He emotionally ridiculed Ben, made jokes of his appearance and made him truly believe that Ben needed to remain in the shadows. Snoke used Ben’s magic for his own gains. He even forced Ben to perform  _ tricks _ and charged admission. Of course Snoke kept all the earnings. And worst of all, he started to keep Ben locked up in an iron cage. Not much bigger than a prison cell.”

 

Rey’s eyes were starting to fill with tears and she shakily asked, “How do you know all of this?”

 

Madame Holdo brushed a tear from her own cheek and sighed. Then she composed herself and continued the story. 

 

“Snoke was not only abusing him emotionally, he abused him physically. Snoke whipped him if Ben ever mentioned wanted to go  _ home. _ Snoke told him that he didn’t have a home, he didn’t have a family and that he should be grateful for what he has done for him.” 

 

“He refused to call Ben by his given name, calling him Kylo Ren instead. He was the one that created the monster after all.”

 

“One evening when I was walking home, I heard the strangled cries of a man and I raced down the alley, searching for the source. As I rounded the corner, I came to a stop when I heard the crack of a whip meeting bare skin. He was bleeding from his back and a long gash bisected his face. I was afraid to intervene, hiding in the shadows like a coward. But just as I was about to close my eyes and pray that God would help this young man— Ben had pushed Snoke away from him. Snoke hit his head against the iron bars of the cage and Ben wrapped his magic around the old man’s neck, squeezing and making the man choke. I thought he was going to end him like that, but Ben had other plans for him. He held a hand out and a broadsword flew into his hand. Ben held it in his hands with fury as he swung and cut the old man in half.” 

 

“Once I knew that Snoke was dead, I rushed over to the cage and opened the door to let the young man out. That’s when I saw his face— those eyes, that dark wavy hair. I knew that this was Leia’s boy. He was fearful of me, so many in his life had failed him. But I held my hand out to him and he cowered into my embrace. I led him back to the opera house. I was just a dancer at the time in the company. But I knew there was space beneath the opera house that the managers never retreated to— in fear of what the basements may have held. A superstitious bunch, they were.”

 

“He asked me to call him Kylo, because the boy he used to be was truly gone. He stayed in the basements of the opera house and listened to the sounds of the voices. He was truly astonishing, teaching himself to sing and compose music. As he grew older, and you came along, it was an instant fascination that he held. I had never seen him so taken with anyone before. And my dear… he still believes that nobody loves or wants him. He is broken and I believe you could be the one to help him fix himself.” 

 

Tears were streaming down Rey’s cheeks. 

 

“I need to go to him. If I go to him, then maybe all of this will change, maybe I can help him. Make everyone see who I see when I look into his eyes. Those aren’t the eyes of a monster, but of a man. A man that I…”

 

Rey fell silent as the realization overwhelmed her. She loved him. 

 

“He’s not in the basements,” Amilyn stated. “Something tells me that he may be coming to the ball. You should get back up there.” 

 

Rey grabbed the candelabra from the stone floor and started towards the door. She turned to look at Madame Holdo. 

 

“Thank you— for telling me,” Rey said. 

 

Then she was dashing up the stairs, holding her gown in one hand as her heels clicked against the stone. 

 

***

 

Once Rey was back on the stage, she looked around eagerly for Kylo. The crowds of guests were dancing and conversing, making it difficult for her to find him. She walked around, waving at Jessika who was dancing with Poe. She kept walking around the stage, gazing at each gentlemen and the masks they were wearing— yet none of them had the ebony mask with the chrome visor that she knew belonged to Kylo. 

 

She felt defeated when she didn’t see him, walked to the other side of the stage and crossing her arms over her chest as she entered the wings. 

 

She felt arms wrap around her waist and a solid chest pressed against her back. She turned her head to look over her shoulder and she couldn’t help the large smile that spread across her face. 

 

There he was, with that familiar scent of pine, those full lips that just begged to be kissed, and his gorgeous hair framed his face in loose waves. The mask he wore covered both of his eyes, so she was unable to see the warm brown hues that she had grown used to. 

 

Rey spun in his arms and grasped the back of his neck, sinking her fingers into his hair as she pressed her lips to his. Kylo jolted from shock, certainly he would, the last time they had seen each other she had cried and yelled at him. 

 

Rey caressed his exposed cheeks with her palms, running her thumb over his flushed skin. 

 

“There is no reason to hide Kylo, I know about your past.” 

 

He went rigid in her embrace but Rey held him steady. 

 

“No, I need you to listen,” she said. “You aren’t a monster Kylo. I can help you… please let me help you.” 

 

She felt his hands run down her waist and over the swell of her bottom, she shivered as she pressed her breasts into his chest. 

 

“I love you, Kylo.” 

 

Gently, he lifted the mask off of her face and then lifted his own. Her gaze was locked on his and he pressed a kiss to her lips. 

 

“Say it— say it again, please?” Kylo asked. 

 

“I love you.” 

 

“I love you too, my angel.” 

 

Kylo swept her up into his arms as they disappeared from the wings. He carried her in his arms as they made the journey to the depths of the opera house, to his chambers, and into his bed. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you to my beta Nori!!!


	5. Chapter 5

* * *

 

Kylo laid Rey down on the soft blankets of his bed as she cradled his face. She didn’t think him a monster— not in this moment at least. She looked at him with love in her eyes. Willingly giving her heart over to him. He wasn’t alone. 

 

Kylo pressed a featherlight kiss to her soft lips. He ran his hands down the the bodice of her gown. She looked ravishing in the black gossamer fabric. The gown hugged her curves in just the right way— it was tantalizing to the eye. 

 

He kicked off his boots and then ran his hand up the expanse of Rey’s leg, letting the skirt of her gown pool at her waist. He kissed her ankle and moved his lips down her petal soft skin. 

 

Kylo held up her leg, massaging the muscle of her calf as her slipper fell off of her foot. He removed her other slipper and ran his hands along her creamy thighs. 

 

Rey looped her arms around his neck and pulled him down for a kiss. Her lips were warm against his own. He pressed his tongue along the seam of her lips and she opened up for him, allowing him entrance. 

 

Their tongues were soft as they gliding against each other. He had never kissed anybody before— only Rey, and never like this. But as their lips met, it seemed to come naturally. Like they were made for this and made for each other. 

 

He was deeply nervous, not wanting to make a fool of himself. His gorgeous girl was looking at him with such love in her eyes. He looked down at her, with her hair fanned out on the pillow in soft waves. Rey cupped his face and then traced her fingertips along the scar on his cheek. He swallowed hard as he let her explore. 

 

Her tender fingers found the tie of his cape and she gently pulled it loose. Kylo gripped the black material and tossed it onto the stone floor. Deftly, she worked her way down, unclasping the various ebony buttons that made up his surcoat. 

 

The red cravat was loosened and pulled off next, followed by his white shirt, leaving him in his high waisted breeches. Kylo crawled off of her body, startling her. Yet he had to put a little distance between them, for she had never seen the extent of his deformity. The scar that bisected his face reached down to his chest. Surely she would turn away from him in horror. 

 

_ “Masquerade. Paper faces on parade. Masquerade.  _

_ Hide your face so the world will never find you,”  _ he whispered with his back to Rey. 

 

Suddenly, he felt Rey’s arms wrapped around his waist and her cheek pressed between his shoulder blades. 

 

_ “Creature of darkness, what kind of life have you known?”  _ Rey’s voice sang softly, her lips pressed against his skin.  _ “You are not alone.”  _

 

He swiftly pulled off his gloves before he turned in Rey’s arms. She gathered her hair in her hands and pulled it over one shoulder, exposing her neck. Kylo unclasped the the ties and buttons that lined the back of her spine. The gown fell to her ankles and she stepped out of it, revealing her naked body. 

 

Kylo settled his hands on her slim waist as he took in the soft swells of her breasts and the rosy shade of her puckered nipples. She was simply gorgeous— nothing short of perfection. And she trusted him enough to bare herself before him. 

 

Her palms rested on his chest as she scooted closer and pressed her breasts against him. He could feel the hard points of her nipples and he thought he was going to lose consciousness. Their lips met again in a series of passionate kisses. The hands that were gripping Rey’s waist slowly traveled up her body. He pulled back from the kiss, looking into her eyes in question, asking permission. 

 

She nodded once and grabbed his wrist, guiding his palm to her breast. He squeezed the soft flesh and let out a strangled moan. Her nipple seemed to grow even more taut against his palm. His lips found hers again, kissing her as he walked them back towards the bed. 

 

Rey’s hands smoothed down his chest until she reached his breeches. Together they rid him of his pants until he was completely naked. 

 

Kylo pushed her onto the bed and she let out a little  _ oof _ when her back hit the silk sheets. He crawled on top of her and started kissing her. His lips feathered across her jaw and down the swoop of her neck. He left wet kisses across her collar bones. He looked up into Rey’s eyes and he could feel her heart beating rapidly against his own chest. She looked at him with such love and adoration, Kylo never thought he would be worthy of her love.

 

He bent down and brushed his lips against her skin, kissing her sternum. Rey grabbed his head and started running her fingers through his dark, wavy locks. He pressed her breasts together, kissing down her cleavage. 

 

He kissed the underside of her breast, mouthing at the soft mound. Rey pulled him closer into her, guiding his mouth to where she wanted him. His lips closed around her nipple and he started to suck. Rey moaned beneath him as she tugged at his head. 

 

Kylo started to rock his hips against hers and she opened her legs a little to allow him more room and he started to rub his erection along her folds. He found her already slick with arousal. 

 

When he pulled away from her breast, her nipple was wet and flushed from his mouth. He looked into her eyes and saw a mirror of himself. She was just as nervous as he was. Kylo gave her a bruising kiss on the lips as he reached between their bodies and brushed his fingers between her folds. 

 

Her hips rocked into his hand, out of instinct. 

 

“I— I don’t know…” he whispered into her neck. 

 

Rey grabbed his hand and showed him where she needed to be touched. He started rubbing his fingers in soft circles over her nub. Every so often she would lift her hips as if she were chasing something. 

 

“Can I try something?” he asked, as she panted beneath him. 

 

“Yes please,” she replied. 

 

He moved down her body and pulled her thighs further apart. Then he used his fingers to spread her pussy for him. He suddenly had the urge to  _ taste _ her. 

 

Kylo pressed a kiss to her clit and Rey shuddered, grabbing his head. He kissed her softly again before he took his tongue and licked up her slit. 

 

“Oh— Ben.” 

 

He liked hearing Rey moan his birth name. He liked knowing that he was the person causing her this pleasure. 

 

The rock of her hips against his mouth only encouraged him further in his ministrations. He snuck his hand between them and pressed his middle finger inside of her. Her pussy was tight around his digit. So very tight. 

 

He worked her with his finger for a few minutes before adding another. Then he felt the walls of her pussy fluttering around his fingers as her clit throbbed against his tongue. She was gasping out his name in bliss. 

 

Kylo continued to lick her through her release, until she pushed his head away. He looked at her with pride in his eyes. He had made her feel this way. 

 

Rey wrapped her arms around his back and rolled her hips, urging him to move up her body. Once he did, she pulled him down for another kiss. His cock nudged her wet center and she widened her legs. 

 

“Are you sure, Rey?” 

 

“Yes, Ben.” 

 

He reached between them and started to ease the head of his cock into her pussy. Rey hissed and her eyes started to fill with tears. Kylo immediately stopped and tried to pull away. 

 

“No, no,” she said, grabbing his bottom and pulling him into her. “Don’t stop.” 

 

Slowly, ever so slowly, Kylo entered her. He froze once he was fully hilted inside of Rey. She was biting her lip as she blinked the tears out of her eyes. 

 

“You can— you can move,” she replied. 

 

Kylo started out slow, rocking his hips gently to meet Rey’s. Every push and pull of their bodies were like the soft ripples of waves along the sea. Kylo could feel when it changed for Rey. When the slight pinch turned into pleasure. He could feel the wetness of her arousal and the loosening of her muscles as her body accepted him. 

 

Rey scratched her nails up and down his back as he began thrusting harder. Each snap of his hips made her breasts jiggle and it was all too enticing. He dropped his head to her chest and started to kiss along her skin. Her nipples were hard and a dusky shade of rose. Kylo pressed the tip of his tongue to the little bud and she moaned out as the sensation. 

 

He nibbled at her breasts, sucking bruises into her skin— marking her as  _ his. _

 

Kylo found himself rising to something. His pleasure was ascending to something he had never felt before. But no— he wanted to have this with Rey. He wanted to feel her as she came undone. 

 

He found that spot again, where she guided to him before and started rubbing his thumb over the raised flesh. 

 

His eyes rolled into the back of his head when he felt her clenching around his cock. She was so incredibly tight and every flutter of her walls brought him closer to his own release. 

 

“Ben, don’t stop,” she moaned. “I’m almost there.” 

 

He pressed a hand beneath her bottom and held her in place as he changed the angle of his hips. Kylo hit something inside of her that made Rey jolt with pleasure. He rubbed furiously over her clit until he felt the very moment that she was pushed over the edge. 

 

Kylo didn’t know her pussy could squeeze him that tightly. As her walls fluttered around his cock, he found himself crashing into his own release. 

 

His hips surged forward as he worked through the aftershocks of his orgasm. Panting, he dropped to his elbows, framing them around Rey’s face as he kissed her lips. 

 

She kissed him back, earnestly. Once he pulled out of her and rolled onto his back, she cuddled into his side and started to draw patterns on his chest with her fingertips. 

 

“I love you, Rey.” 

 

Those bright hazel eyes of hers shone brightly in the candlelight. She smiled at him— that sunny smile that he always admired from the shadows. 

 

“I love you too, Ben.” she replied. “You aren’t alone anymore.”  

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you to my wonderful beta Nori!!!


	6. Chapter 6

* * *

Rey awoke in the warm embrace of Ben’s arms. Her hands were planted softly on his chest as his fingers danced along her bare back. Rey nuzzled closer into his neck, inhaling the scent of him. As her eyes opened, she lifted her head to gaze down at him. The phantom of the opera, the opera ghost, Kylo Ren, Ben Solo— her lover. 

 

Their lips met in lazy kisses. Rey didn’t know the time, but assumed it was morning from how well rested she felt. Never before had she slept so soundly. Rey had the feeling part of it was the security she felt in the arms of the man she loved. 

 

Ben traced his fingers down the line of her jaw, stroking her skin ever so gently. 

 

“My angel, we must get you back. You have rehearsals and then your performance tonight.” 

 

Rey kissed him again, silencing him. She just wanted to treasure this moment for a little while longer. Reluctantly, she rolled out of the bed and started to get dressed. Ben followed suit. He held her hand as he walked her through the passageways of the opera house. He opened the mirror to her dressing room and kissed her once more before turning to retreat back to his lair beneath the stage. 

 

***

 

Rey walked to the stage in her hair and makeup, ready to perform the dress rehearsal before she took the stage later in the evening. Poe and Finn were already on the stage talking to the dancers and singers. 

 

She wondered if Ben was watching from somewhere. She liked the thought of him keeping an eye out for her and watching with pride at how his protege has excelled. 

 

Rey made her way through the wings and as she walked on the stage, she ran straight into Armitage Hux. He sneered at her as he walked by. 

 

The rehearsal was for  _ Don Juan Triumphant _ and Rey was performing the lead role opposite of Armitage Hux. The redheaded man was furious that his partner and lover, Bazine Netal, had been murdered in cold blood. However, there was no way to prove that she had been murdered. For one, nobody aside from Rey knew of Ben’s magic. They thought him a phantom— an entity that haunted the opera. Rey found herself grateful of that fact. At least Ben was protected from the fury of the performers. 

 

***

 

Poe sat in his office across from Finn as he rubbed his chin. 

 

“This has gone too far. The phantom is no ghost— he is a man and he is a threat to our performers. We have to do something about this,” Poe said. 

 

Finn covered his face with his hands and groaned. “I really don’t think the phantom should be trifled with.” 

 

Poe merely scoffed at Finn’s resistance. 

 

“We can set up a trap. He will be there tonight— watching Rey perform. We will sit in his designated box seats and have armed police officers at every exit for the theater. He will not get away this time. The plan is foolproof.”

 

***

 

The infuriating men running  _ his _ opera had purposefully occupied box five. Kylo angrily stomped around the rafters, making the wooden beams shake beneath his wrath. The show was to start momentarily and the seats in the auditorium were full to capacity with eager guests. All to see his angel— his Rey. 

 

She was standing in center stage, ready to perform. The curtain would be lifted any minute now, and Kylo would be able to gaze down at his lovely girl as the soft sound of her voice fills the theater. 

 

The curtain began to rise and Rey walked forward beneath the spotlights. The crowd was utterly silent, all of them entranced with the beauty of his Rey. 

 

She opened her mouth and started to sing— his angel of music, his lover, his light. 

 

***

 

Rey was breathtaking, absolutely stunning during the first Act of the opera. Kylo hid behind the mirror of her dressing room as she freshened up. He was about to make himself known when he heard a heavy knock on Rey’s door. 

 

He watched through the crack in the door as she walked over answered the knock. Armitage Hux pushed his way into the room. Kylo felt jealousy and possessiveness swirl through his veins. 

 

“Curtain call is in ten minutes,” Hux stated, staring past Rey. 

 

“Alright, thank you Armitage. I will be down in just a minute.” 

 

He didn’t make a move to leave and Kylo was about to burst through the hidden door and force the irritating man out of Rey’s dressing room. However, his feisty girl was quick to defend herself from Hux’s transgressions. 

 

“You can leave,” she annoyingly spat. 

 

Hux advanced on her and grabbed her wrist. 

 

“You are nothing but the phantom’s whore.” 

 

Rey dug her heel into his foot and he yelled out. 

 

“Unhand me.”

 

Hux slapped her across the face and she grabbed her reddened cheek as she ran from the room. Kylo didn’t wait any longer, Hux was not to get away with this kind of treatment of his angel. He opened the hidden door behind the mirror and stalked out towards Hux. 

 

The redheaded man’s eyes widened in shock and fear as Kylo grabbed his neck with the magic that flowed through his fingers. He tightened until Hux’s face matched his hair and the man collapsed to the ground. 

 

Kylo kicked Hux’s body. The man was still breathing, which was a pity. Yet Kylo didn’t have time to worry about that. He took Hux’s body down to his lair and chained him up against the wall. Then Kylo dressed accordingly and donned his mask. He would be joining Rey on the stage in place of Hux— since the man was incapacitated. 

 

***

 

At the start of the second Act, Rey walked onto the stage and started to sing. She was quickly joined by her partner. But when the man started to sing, she knew that it wasn’t Armitage Hux’s voice. It was the deep timber of the phantom. It was Ben. 

 

He walked straight to her and held her in his arms as he sang aloud, his voice was heartbreakingly beautiful and Rey couldn’t help but to feel upset that he never had a moment like this before. He was always hidden in the shadows. Nobody saw the beauty that she saw within Ben. 

 

_ “I have come here _

_ Hardly knowing the reason why _

_ In my mind I’ve always imagined our bodies _

_ Entwining, defenseless, and silent _

_ And now I am here with you, _

_ No second thoughts _

_ I’ve decided, decided…” _

 

Ben’s hand spaned the length of her waist as his hand reached up from her chin, leaning her head back against his shoulder as he sang to her. 

 

Rey joined in and they sang together. 

 

_ “Past the point of no return _

_ No going back now _

_ Our passion play has now at last begun _

_ Past all thought of right or wrong _

_ One final question _

_ How long should we two wait before we’re one? _

_ When will the blood begin to race _

_ The sleeping bud bursts into bloom? _

_ When will the flames at last consume us?” _

 

When they sang together— it was as if everything began to make sense. Together— Ben and Rey were in sync. They were one unit— a balance. 

 

_ “Past the point of no return _

_ The final threshold _

_ The bridge is crossed,  _

_ So stand and watch it burn _

_ We’ve passed the point of no return.”  _

 

The crowd erupted in applause as the curtain fell. Ben kissed her gently on the lips as he gripped her waist. Rey didn’t care about anything else in the world— all she saw was Ben. Nothing else mattered, just the man that she loved. 

 

They continued to kiss, not hearing the hurried footsteps that started to surround them. Ben pulled away from her lips and turned to see the angry faces of the other performers followed by Finn and Poe. 

 

Poe walked up to them with rage. 

 

“So you are real— what did you do to Hux? What have you done to Rey? You’ve put some kind of spell over her?” 

 

Rey pleaded with Poe to listen to her but he waved her off as he continued to yell in Ben’s face. 

 

“Poe, stop. There’s more to the story. Please listen to me, Poe. He’s not the monster you think he is. I love him!” 

 

The arguing stopped and they were left in silence, everybody was staring at Rey with gaping mouths. 

 

The next thing she knew, Ben threw out his hand and ignited a prop chair on fire. Once the performers were distracted, he grabbed Rey’s hand and they quickly escaped to his lair, away from the mob of angry performers. 

 

***

 

Kylo hurried down the stone steps that led to the basement. Rey followed behind him as he pushed the heavy door open and started to gather his belongings. 

 

“I have to leave,” he said. “Come with me, Rey.” 

 

She was staring straight ahead at Hux’s body chained to the wall. 

 

“Ben— you don’t have to do this, this is not who you are.” 

 

He looked over at Hux and felt anger churning in his stomach. 

 

“He hurt you, Rey.” 

 

“He isn’t worth it, Ben. Don’t put more blood on your hands for someone as insignificant as him. Let him go.” 

 

Kylo walked over to Hux’s body and released him from the chains. Armitage shuffled away from Kylo quickly, looking at him as if he were a monster. And he was, wasn’t he? He was nothing but a monster. How could someone as beautiful and pure as Rey love a monster like him?

 

“Ben,” she said softly. 

 

“You should go, Rey. You’re free— you shouldn’t live your life in the shadows with the likes of me. Go Rey— live.” 

 

She ran towards him threw his mask off, crushing her lips to his. 

 

“I don’t want to leave you, Ben. I love you. It’s not too late.” 

 

Kylo heard a commotion in the stairwell— Hux must have told the angry mob what he had done. They would storm the basement at any moment— and Rey couldn’t be here when that happened. She needed to go. She needed to be safe. 

 

“Rey— my love, my angel— Go, now!” 

 

He pushed her towards the hidden passageways, pleading with her to run. 

 

“Go please, be safe. I need you to be safe.” 

 

She had tears in her eyes as she turned to flee up the stairs. She turned once she was at the top, looking down on him as she replied. “I’ll wait for you. If there’s one thing I’m good at— It’s waiting.” 

 

She closed the door and he was left on his knees in despair. His love— his Rey. 

 

***

 

The mob erupted into the lair with Poe and Hux leading them straight to where Kylo was cowering on the floor. They ran towards him and he stood up, facing them. 

 

“You will pay for what you’ve done!” Hux yelled. 

 

Kylo pulled his cape over his face as he spun around. 

 

The cape fell to the ground and the body of Kylo Ren was no longer in the basement. 

 

Poe looked around in confusion. That— that wasn’t  _ possible. _

 

The performers were shocked and looked around in horror— the phantom of the opera had escaped. 

 

From the top of the stairs, Madame Holdo looked down at the performers with disappointment on her face as she held Jessika Pava in her arms. Holdo thought back to that moment when she had found Ben Solo, the troubled child of her dear friend Leia. 

 

Leia— Amilyn missed her friend. Leia would have loved to be there to witness her son falling in love. 

 

Amilyn guided Jessika back up towards the theater as she reminisced about the day her dear friend tragically passed due to illness. Leia never knew her son had survived. She never knew the truth of what happened to Ben. 

 

Holdo wiped a tear from her cheek as she continued to lead Jessika away from the mob. 

 

***

 

Once the basement was empty once more, Kylo walked out of his hiding place and started to gather the parchment papers that had be strewn around the room. His sheet music— his creations. They were crumbled and covered with footprints. 

 

Kylo bit his lip as he held the papers to his chest. Tears slipped down his cheeks. 

 

_ “Masquerade. Hide your face, so the world will never find you.”  _

 

He thought of his Rey— his shining light. The woman that he loved. She was better off without him. As much as it hurt to say goodbye, Kylo knew in his heart that it was the right thing to do. Rey deserved to be happy and free. She didn’t deserve to be tied down by a monster. 

 

_ “You alone can make my song take flight—  _

_ It’s over now, the music of the night.”  _

 

He wiped furiously at his face as the tears continued to fall. His heart ached with the love he felt for Rey— the longing that he felt for her. 

 

Kylo stood with the papers in his hands and through his blurry eyes, he thought he saw the brilliant bright silhouette of Rey by the stairs. Wiping his eyes once more, he looked again and saw that it was Rey. She sang softly to him… 

 

_ “Say you’ll share with me _

_ One love, one lifetime. _

_ Say the word and I will follow you.” _

 

He ran up to her and grabbed her hands. 

 

“Rey, I love you.” 

 

“I love you too, Ben.” 

 

Kylo picked her up in his arms and kissed her deeply, his tears wetting her cheeks as she kissed him back passionately. 

 

She had come back for him. He wasn’t alone. 

 

“You aren’t alone, Ben.” 

 

“Neither are you.” 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you to my amazing beta Nori. 
> 
> I felt like this was a good ending for my babies. I hope you all enjoyed this story.

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you to my betas Shawlee and Nori!  
> Please leave a comment and let me know what you think!


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